Brazil is a tourist destination known worldwide for its beaches and its exuberant nature. In addition to its natural appeal, the Brazilian Carnival also attracts visitors from all around the world. In the coming days, Rio de Janeiro, Salvador de Bahía and Olinda, the cities where the best-known carnivals are celebrated, will crowd with local and foreign tourists that want to attend the event. However, the Brazilian touristic potential is not only an opportunity to have a good time, but it also represents a great commercial opportunity for online businesses specialized in the tourist sector.
The tourism industry represents 9% of the country’s GDP, counting both direct and indirect incomes. These are generated by internal tourism, as well as by foreigners visiting the country. Only in January, international visitors spent more than 664 million dollars in Brazil, a number that represents an increase of 2.71% compared to the same period last year.
Despite this, Brazilians are also a good target for other countries’ tourist service providers. According to the Brazil Central Bank, Brazilians’ expenses abroad in January 2017 were 1.578 billion dollars. According to the Brazil Tourism Ministry, destinations preferred by Brazilians when travelling abroad are the United States, Argentina and France.
Increase in the online tourist service offers
During the past years, a strong trend to offer online services related to tourism has been observed. A clear example is the increase of the online purchase of plane tickets, transport services and hotel reservations, among others. Internet makes it easier to choose and hire these services directly, making it more practical for both parties.
Online payments in the tourist sector
If you have a tourist service e-commerce, one of the key points to maximize the conversion and ensure the deal is closed inside the website is to offer the proper payment methods for the business’s target audience.
- • Brazilian audience
- • Foreign audience
Offering local payment methods can make a great difference to a company offering services to this target. The main cause is that international transactions are subject to a tax of 6.38% in IOF concept. In addition to this, offering alternative payment methods, like the online bank transfer, can be key for businesses with a high average sale price, as they do not have a limit on the amount, and they prevent tourists from going over the limit on their credit cards.
Another aspect to take into account is that Brazilian consumers are used to financing their purchases, especially when it comes to tourist services. Due to the fact that the value of products and services is usually high, it is normal to offer the option of paying in up to 12 instalments by credit card. For some businesses, the payment in instalments represents more than 75% of all transactions.
For Brazilian companies that wish to offer their services to international clients, it is essential to have an international payments system. Local acquirers can reject the payment with international cards, as one of the mandatory datum to process payments is the CPF. In addition to this, there are virtual wallet services that are commonly used in other countries and can make sales easier.
In conclusion, e-commerce is a segment that needs to adapt to the maximum of its clients’ needs. This rule is even more important when it comes to tourism-based businesses, both online and offline. From customer service in different languages to payment facilities, the whole service has to be perfected to offer the best experience to the client and, therefore, obtain their satisfaction and loyalty.
